Pronunciation: Pah-oo-wah-noo-ee

Pauanui is a small town in the Coromandel’s East Coast, sitting only 2 hours from Tamaki Makaurau/Auckland. This small town in Aotearoas’ North Island is a popular holiday destination for kiwi families and is a direct neighbour to Tairua; another picture perfect town in the Coromandel.

Mt Pauanui is a popular hike for any visitors or locals in the area, offering incredible views above the town but an intense hike and great exercise at the same time.
Looking out towards the moana/sea which is the South Pacific Ocean, Pauanui is favoured for it’s easy access to water related activities and nearby hikes.

About Pauanui

Boarded by white sand beaches and hilly landscapes, Pauanui makes for the perfect rural escape during summer. The small Coromandel town has over 1,000 permanent residents but the population can climb to over 15,000 during the summer holiday season. With Tairua right next door (the island you can see just to the right of my head in the above picture), this area of the Coromandel gets flooded with visitors each summer.
With its own airstrip, surf beach and waterways, there is very little that Pauanui is lacking. And there’s no surprise why it’s known for being the chosen beach town for the wealthy.

During the weekends in summer you’ll often find markets on the main field, kids skating boarding through the streets or playing basketball in the middle of the road. The beaches are pumping with locals, visitors or day trippers, and the boat operating between Pauanui and Tairua is at full capacity.

Pauanui Accommodation

Pauanui is a popular holiday destination, especially for those living in Auckland or in the central north island. There are plenty of accommodation options in Pauanui ranging from camp sites, to motels and even the odd house on Airbnb.

If you can’t find what you’re looking for in Pauanui, towns likes Tairua or Whangamata have a lot more options when it comes to stand alone houses available for a weekend on Airbnb. Tairua is a short boat ride across the Tairua river, or a 20 minute driver back through the valley and around the river. Or Whangamata is little over half an hour drive to up the coast to Pauanui.

Getting to Pauanui from Auckland

Taking around 2 hours without traffic; Pauanui is further enough away from civilisation but close enough to not get achy legs. However the most popular time to visit Pauanui is during the Christmas holidays, and this can mean that trying to exit Tamaki Makaurau can take around an hour.
The road along SH25a, AKA Kopu-Hikaui Rd, can be quite dangerous due to the twists and turns and frequent slips through the area. Be mindful of your driving and be sure not to cross over the centre line when travelling through the area.

Directions from Auckland to Pauanui

To travel from Auckland to Pauanui you will need to private vehicle. Travel south on State Highway 1 until you meet with State Highway 2. Travel along SH2 for 32km and slight left onto SH25. Continue through the Kopu-Hikaui gorge along SH25a to meet up again with SH25 and follow signs for Pauanui.

About the Mount Pauanui Walk

Total Distance 4.8km
Time 2+ hours

Majority of public walks and hikes are maintained by Te Papa Atawhai/The Department of Conservation. The beginning of each of these tracks will have a small information sign stating the name of the track and the distance/time it will take you to complete. These times are somewhat of an over-exaggeration and can usually be done in less time than what is stated. So don’t feel daunted by the 1.5hrs shown on the sign to climb Mt Pauanui.

My husband and I managed to do the Mt Pauanui walk/hike in just over an hour, even with several short breaks and a slow climbing pace. Our descent was slightly faster even though I took every step with cautious ease trying not to pop a knee or slide on my tailbone.

Mt Pauanui hiking track starts off like any other bush walk in New Zealand; a dirt trail surrounded by dense bush. www.Alltrails.com lists this hiking track as ‘moderate’, which is the biggest controversy I’ve heard since U.S. moon landing. The only way this could be considered a ‘moderate’ hike is if Sir Edmund Hillary wrote the review. Sturdy shoes with grip are a smart idea if you don’t fancy sliding knee or butt first down any of the steep slopes. Tree trunks and exposed roots and rocks are the only things available to help steady yourself, as the path up the maunga/mountain is not marked out with any formal barriers or steps.

I wasn’t aware of how steep this maunga could get and a few profanities were heaved out into the open air during the hike. Up until now Kitekite Falls was one of the steepest hikes I’ve ever completed. And it’s even worse after a rainy day as the path can be slipperier than a banana in a slapstick comedy. Take stable shoes and a couple of plasters to be safe.

Even though this sounds like a review of Mt Doom, there are plenty of children that complete this Coromandel mountain hike. We got overtaken by a child who made light work of the steeper ‘shortcuts’ through the zig zagged sections of the track.

The view from the top however, was spectacular. The summit of the maunga has panoramic views across Pauanui and Tairua, and out towards the mountains within the Coromandel Forest Park.

Other Things to do in Pauanui

Climb the Pinnacles

The Pinnacles ‘walk’ is another hike in the Coromandel which is worth the knee tiring experience to get there. I haven’t completed the hike yet but it’s on my bucket list. The Pinnacles Hike has various tracks and can be completed in a day, or you can spend the night in the DOC hut onsite which is over halfway up.

Visit Tairua Township

Tairua is literally a stone throw away from Pauanui. A small channel separates the two towns and a ferry service operates during summer to transport passengers between Tairua and Pauanui. Also accessible by car, Tairua and Pauanui are separated by 22.9km of road which will take about 22 minutes to travel without traffic.

Pauanui to Tairua via boat

The Tairua ferry operates during the school holidays and throughout summer from December to April. The ferry can carry 50 passengers, transferring them between the Tairua wharf in Pauanui and the Paku wharf in Tairua.
The timetable for the Pauanui ferry can be viewed on their Facebook page.

Pauanui to Tairua via car

Take Hikuai Settlement Rd until you meet with State Highway 25. Turn right and travel along SH25 for 12km until you find yourself in the centre of Tairua.

Climbing Tairua Hill

Tairua hill gives another great view of the coast but from a slightly different perspective. Allowing for more panoramic views across the coast with much less effort required to get there.

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Whether it’s for a weekend, or a whole weeks stay. The Coromandel has plenty of beautiful towns to visit in summer or winter, and an endless list of activities and day trips. The Coromandel is the closest thing the North island can get to replicating some of the dramatic landscape in the South Island.

Other Places in the Coromandel Worth Checking out

Coromandel Township

The Coromandel township is another sweet holiday destination, although immensely popular this area of the Coromandel is slightly cheaper if you have a budget for accommodation. Pauanui and Tairua are a day trips drive away, as well as every other beautiful white sand beach along the coast. Check out my weekend itinerary for the Coromandel if you want more options for a getaway to a more remote location.

Coromandel Beaches

If you’re looking for a beach getaway then you’ve come to the right place. Far away white sand beaches like Otama and Opito bay are beautiful places to spend a day; pack a lunch and plenty of sunblock and take the drive to one of the most beautiful beaches in New Zealand.
New Chums beach is extremely popular for its token instagram picture from the cliffs above, however still a great beach with a bit of surf, and there’s enough shelter from the neighbouring forest to hide from the sun if need be.

Whangapoua sits right next door to New Chums, and is the beach you must first cross if you’re wanting to get to New Chums beach. Because Whangapoua is an easy walk from the car park and sits close to any amenities; this beach is more favoured by families with young children. Check out my post of 4 of the Coromandels best beaches if you want to find out more!

Coromandel Accommodation – Hush Boutique

It would be rude of me to suggest and convince anyone of a trip to the Coromandel without offering some idea of accommodation. Hush Boutique Accommodation is a place I would stay over and over again. The cosy wooden cottages sit apart from each other separated by native bush and man made creeks.

Hush Boutique is the perfect place for couples wanting a romantic weekend, individuals needing a peaceful escape, or those with young families who want to be among a more quiet environment. The accommodation allows for you to store and prepare small meals in your cabin, otherwise the shared kitchen is a great way to meet people and cook in a lush outdoor kitchen but with all the benefits of an indoor one.

The other benefit of staying at Hush Boutique is that it’s not too much of a far walk from Coromandel township, and sits right opposite Driving Creek Railway Adventures. So if you’ve found that you’ve had one too many wines at the pub you can definitely stumble your way home no problem. And if you’re stuck with what to do for a day you can easily skip across the road and book a pottery class or take a train ride around the native forestry in the area.

If you want to know more about Hush then head to my Hush Boutique article to find out more!